Open Ion engines to orbit?

[Roger Jolly]

I realise that I've partially done this already. I always stick to a single build screen per launch, and my heaviest lifter (with DLC) puts about 500t in LEO. (I don't know if that's good or not, but that's not the point!) Anyway, I light a few of the second stage engines along with the first stage.

That gives me better liftoff TWR, but it also makes staging easier. I think it's six Frontiers running from the second stage at liftoff, which means that separating the first stage and lighting up the remaining second stage engines can be done without sending the rocket spinning.

Because it's a simple design and only has two stages, I can also use fuel transfer to advantage by pumping first stage fuel into the second stage from the start. I'm sure that would be unworkable for some of these more complicated staging set ups.

This is my regular fuel can, plain but versatile as a pure disposable can or booster set...
Think it delivers near 500 tons, think I could burn the 2 engines in the separater section but don’t cuz that just seems weird...
If I really need a lot of fuel I just cheat this thing up, and damn does that feel heavy all the way up

Oh ya, that first stage is about perfect balance, the center tank empties just a couple seconds before the outsides costing only one engine and good remind to drop

 

[diakonos]

This is my regular fuel can, plain but versatile as a pure disposable can or booster set...
Think it delivers near 500 tons, think I could burn the 2 engines in the separater section but don’t cuz that just seems weird...
If I really need a lot of fuel I just cheat this thing up, and damn does that feel heavy all the way up

Looks much nicer than mine. Mine has no attention to aesthetic, and has unrealistic engines firing into stuff below them. And the payload* is just six of the biggest tanks, 3x2 flat across the top, so no attention to aerodynamics. But I do launch with drag enabled and make LEO.

* That was the test payload. In practice I put other things in that space instead. If what I'm launching doesn't fit there, I reorganise the second stage to change the shape of the payload area.

 

[Roger Jolly]

Looks much nicer than mine. Mine has no attention to aesthetic, and has unrealistic engines firing into stuff below them. And the payload* is just six of the biggest tanks, 3x2 flat across the top, so no attention to aerodynamics. But I do launch with drag enabled and make LEO.

* That was the test payload. In practice I put other things in that space instead. If what I'm launching doesn't fit there, I reorganise the second stage to change the shape of the payload area.

I should add more RCS, it’s a bear that way

I have that Titan stage saved bare and build most anything on top of it payloadwise

How off topic is this?

 

[diakonos]

How off topic is this?

Gives me an idea for a challenge though...